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(No ModeL) H. A. CHURCH.

BRACELET CLASP.

No. 320,220. PatentedJune 16, 1885.

STATES UNTTE ATENT FFICEO BRACELET-CLASP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 320,220, dated June 16, 1885.

(No model T aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY A. CHURCH, of the city and county of Providence, and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and use ful Improvement in Bracelet-Clasps, of which thefollowingis a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to the centers or elasps for uniting the ends of the bands of bracelets; and the object of my invention is to simplify the construction of the clasp and to facilitate the operation of adjusting and fastening the band.

To the above purpose my invention consists in the peculiar and novel construction of the clasp, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, I will proceed to describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved bracelet-clasp. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same with its cover raised. Fig. 4 is a similar view of a modified form of the clasp. Fig. 5 illustrates in end elevation the two forms of the clasp, the view on the left being of the style shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, and the view on the right being of the style shown in Fig. 4.

In the said drawings, A designates the body or box of the clasp, and B the cover of the same. The box may be of the oblong reetair gular form shown, or of any other suitable form, and is struck up in dies, or formed in any other suitable manner, with two vertical sides, a, and two vertical ends, a.

The cover 13 is of a shape to correspond with the shape of the box A, and is hinged at b to one end of the box. The cover is also provided with two spring-catches, I), which,

' when the cover is closed, bind against the sides of thcbox and retain the cover in closed condition.

Each end of the box A is formed with an aperture open at the top to receive the corresponding end of the band.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 the band is shown as composed of a series of units, three of which make up the width of the band. The apertures in the ends of the box are in this case each of the U-form, a", shown in tl1e lefthand part of Fig. 5.

In Fig. 4 the band is shown as of greater width and composed of a greater number of unitsto the width than in the other case. In this instance the aperture is of the wider form shown at a, to the right of Fig. 5.

In this class of bracelets one end of the band is permanently secured to the center or clasp, and according to my invention this permanent attachment of the band is accomplished either by means of a pin, 0, which extends through the last transverse set of units, and the ends of which are held in the sides of the box; or, as is shown in Fig. 2, the last set of units lie within the box and are held therein by the sides of the aperture and by the hinge of the cover, the next succeeding set of units being somewhat flattened to lie in the aperture.

The detachable end of the band is held to the box by placing its last series of units within the box, where they are held by the sides of the aperture, and when the cover B is closed it prevents any accidental displacement of this end of the band.

Thus it will be seen that the clasp is simple in construction, and that the band may be readily lengthened and shortened by placing a greater or less number of units within the box.

The box A and its cover 13 may be of any suitable or preferred material, and may be ornamented in any desired manner.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. An improved bracelet-clasp consisting of a box or body having an aperture in each of its ends, the sides of which engage between the ends of the series of units to hold the band, and provided with a hinged cover, as described.

2. The box A, having the sides a a, and provided at each end with an aperture, the sides of which engage beneath the ends of the series of units to hold the band, as set a, for securing the end of the band, as speciforth. fied.

3. The combination with the box A having the apertures in its ends, the sides of HENRY CHURCH 5 which apertures engage between the ends of WVitnesses:

the series of units, in combination With the J. A. MILLER, J1'.,

cover B, havingthe springs b, and the pin M. F. BLTGH. 

